Record reproducing device



D. R. DE TAR RECORD REPRODUCING DEVICE Filed March 6, 1941 Inve Donald ntor:

R. De Tar,

torneg.

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 RECORD REPRODUCING DEVICE 'Donald R. De Tar, Stratford, Conn., assignor to mpany, a corporation of General Electric Co New York Application March 6, 1941, Serial No. 381,933

6 Claims.

My invention relates to record reproducing devices and it has for one of its objects to provide an improved and simplified mechanism for controlling the operation of the playing mechanism of such a device in response to movement of the pick-up arm thereof. a

In record playing devices of the disc record and turn table type, an arm carrying the pick-up device and stylus is generally pivoted beyond the periphery of the turn table to swing over the turn table during the playing of the record. It is often desirable to provide means to control the motor which is utilized to drive the turn table in response to movement of this pick-up am. For example, it may be desirable to energize the motor in response to extreme outward movement of the pick-up arm, to deenergize it in response to extreme inward movement of the pick-up arm, or to deenergize it in response to reversal of its movement during the playing of a record or when its stylus enters the usual eccentric groove at the end of the record. In this way the motor is very conveniently and satisfactorily controlled wholly in response to movement of the tone arm, both manually, and by certain movements occurring by operation of the record itself.

An object of my invention is to provide improved and simplified means for eilecting such control.

A further object of my invention is to provide such means comprising simple stamped out metal parts which may be assembled as a unit about the pivot of the pick-up arm and which operates to effect the desired control entirely in response to movement of that pivot.-

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents an embodiment of my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 represent the invention in different conditions of its operation.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, I have indicated at I therein the turn table of a phonograph having a disc record 2 lying thereon, said record having the usual groove indicated by the shaded portions 3 of the record, which groove is indicated as terminating in an eccentric groove 4 at the center of the record.

The turn table is driven by a motor 5, located beneath the turn table, through pinions indicated by dotted lines at 6 and I, the latter pinion being arranged to engage the inner surface of the downward flange at the outer periphery of the turn table in a manner quite customary in phonographs of today.

The energizing circuit of the motor is indicated at 8 as including a switch comprising a pair of stationary contacts 9 arranged to be engaged by a movable contact I0 carried on an armature ll controlled through means provided in accordance with my invention and which will presently be described.

Over the turn table is shown a pick-up arm l2 carrying a stylus I3 which engages with the record. This pick-up arm is pivoted for movement in the vertical plane about a pivot 13 and for movement in the horizontal plane about a pivot H. The pivot [4 comprises a vertical shaft which may extend downward into the housing of the mechanism, which housing is not shown on the drawing. At the lower portion thereof, preferably within the housing, a ratchet member 15 is attached to the shaft l 4 for movement therewith. This ratchet member thus moves in a clockwise direction during the playing of the record and in a counterclockwise direction as the pick-up arm is moved toward its outer position. It of course oscillates when-the stylus of the pick-up arm rides in the eccentric curve at the end of the record.

About the ratchet i5 are two additional levers l6 and I1 lying substantially in the same plane as the ratchet l5 and which are pivoted about points It and I9 respectively. These levers I6 and I! extend from their pivots toward each other, and abut against each other, as shown at 20, each lever being biased by its respective spring 2| and 22 for movement toward the other.

Each of these levers is provided with an additional arm 23 and 24 made integral therewith whereby they may be actuated in response to the extreme movements of the pick-up arm. Upon extreme inward movement of the pick-up arm the arm 24 of lever I1 is engaged by an ear 25 on the ratchet I5 so that it is actuated counterclockwise about its pivot against the bias of spring 22, thereby releasing lever It for movement under its bias.

Arm 23 of lever I6 is likewise arranged to be engaged upon extreme outward movement of the pick-up arm by an ear 26 on the ratchet I 5 thereby to move the lever I6 against its bias. This in turn releases lever I! for movement under influence of its bias spring 22 back to the position shown in Fig. 1. In this way the device is reset.

The movements of the lever II are utilized to control the switch 3, III in the manner which I shall now indicate. The armature carries a pivot 21 to which is attached a member 23 having two prongs 29 which straddle a projection 30 on the lever l6. This member 23 is attached to the member I through a coiled spring 3| at such a point that when lever I6 is in the position shown this spring biases armature II to the closed position of the switch 9, l0. If lever l6 be moved to the right as by actuation of lever I1 in a counterclockwise direction by ear 25, then member 28 will be moved clockwise about the pivot 21 thus tensioning spring 3| and moving the point of connection of member 28 with spring 3| over center to such a position that this spring 3| now biases the armature H to an open position oi the switch 91,10. Thus, in this way the switch 3, I is operated from its open position to its closed position and vice versa in response to the reciprocations of the lever l5.

As thus described, the switch may be opened or closed in response to the extreme movements of the pick-up. Means are also employed for operating the switch in response to any reversal of the movement of the pick-up arm which occurs at any time during the playing of the record or when the stylus |3 enters the eccentric curve at the end of the record. This means comprises a pawl 33 which is pivoted at 34 upon the lever l1. The end of this pawl 33 opposite the pivot 34 is down-turned at 35 and this downtumed end is connected by a spring 36 to the pivot l9, the relative positions of the pivots I9 and 34 and the down-turned end 35 being such that the spring 36 biases the pawl 33 against the edge 31 of the ratchet l5. This edge may be provided with teeth inclined to permit movement of the ratchet IS in the clockwise direction as during the playing of the record with the pawl 33 riding freely over the pivot, but shaped to engage the pawl 33 upon reversal of movement of the pick-up arm and thereby to transmit the movement of the ratchet l5 through the pawl to the pivot 34 and lever l1, thus moving that lever about pivot IS in a counterclockwise direction against spring 22. The left end of lever N then moves out from the notch indicated at the point 20 and thus releases lever Hi to move under the bias of spring 3| until the edge 38 of the extension 30 of lever l6 engages the end of the lever |1. This counterclockwise movement of lever l6 operates the member 28 of the switch in a clockwise direction throwing spring 3| over center so that it then biases member II to the open position of the switch 9, Ill.

The switch is then in the position which is illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the stylus which is carried by the pick-up arm I2 is in an eccentric groove 4 on the record in which it oscillates in accordance with the eccentricity of the groove as the record rotates. Pawl 33 has been actuated by the ratchet l5 to transmit its movement to the lever H which moved'out from its notch 20 thereby releasing lever l6 for counterclockwise movement under its bias to the position illustrated. Member 28 of the switch is shown in its clockwise position in which the spring 3| biases member II to the open position of switch 9, l0.

Of course, this opening of the switch 9, I0 de- If it now be desired to start the phonograph,

the operator may grasp the pick-up arm and reset the device by rotating the pick-up arm to its extreme outer position. As he does this the car 26 on the ratchet member l5. as illustrated in Fig. 3. engages the arm 23 o! lever l3 and rotates that lever in a clockwise direction thus releasing lever for .movement under its bias spring 22 in the clockwise direction to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Spring 38 and pawl 33 are now in such position that when the pickup arm is placed over the record the pawl 33 again engages the toothed edge 31 of the ratchet member l5.

Now if at any time during the playing of the record the operator desires to stop the phonograph, he needs only to pick up the pick-up arm and move it outward. The first movement outward causes the pawl 33 to transmit the movement of ratchet IE to the lever l6 and thus trip the mechanism from the position shown in Figs.

1 and 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and thusthe switch is opened deenergizing the motor.

As thus described it will be seen that my invention is extremely simple comprising but a few stamped parts which may be readily assembled upon any suitable stationary bracket in the housing of the reproducing device. Moreover, it operates to effect its intended functions particularly efllcaciously. The response to backward movement of the pick-up arm may be very sensitive if desired. In fact with pawl 33 properly proportioned and pivots 34 and I9 properly positioned, the teeth 31 may comprise little more than a roughened or finely serrated edge of the ratchet plate.

While I have shown a particular'embodiment of my invention it will, of course. be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made in the structure and instrumentalities of which my invention may be formed and I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

1. The combination, in a record reproducing mechanism, of a ratchet movable about a pivot as a record is being reproduced. a lever extending from its pivot along said ratchet and having a pawl pivoted thereon, means to bias said pawl to ride over said ratchet during said movement of the ratchet and to transmit reverse movement of the ratchet to said lever to rotate said lever about its pivot, and a trip means responsive to said movement of said lever to control said record reproducing mechanism.

2. The combination, in a record reproducing mechanism, of a ratchet movable about a pivot as a record is being reproduced, a lever extending from its pivot along said ratchet and having a pawl pivoted thereon, means to bias said pawl to ride over said ratchet during said movement of the ratchet and to transmit reverse movement of the ratchet to said lever to rotate said lever about its pivot, a trip means responsive to said movement of said lever to control said record reproducing mechanism, and means responsive to extreme movement of said ratchet in the direction of said reverse movement to restore said lever and pawl and responsive to extreme movement of said ratchet in the direction of its forward movement to operate said trip means.

3. The combination, in a record reproducing mechanism, of a pair of levers pivoted at points and extending therefrom to abut against each other at another point, each lever being biased to abut against the other and each lever restraining the other against further movement under its bias, a pick-up arm for said reproducing mechanism movable during reproduction of a record, a ratchet movable with said pick-up arm, a pawl pivoted on one of said levers and biased to ride over said ratchet during movement of said ratchet and to transmit reverse movement of said ratchet to said lever thereby to release the other of said pair of levers for further movement under its bias, and means to stop said mechanism in response to said further movement of said other lever.

4. The combination, in a record reproducing mechanism, of a pair of levers pivoted at points and extending therefrom to abut against each other at another point, each lever being biased to abut against the other and each lever restraining the other against further movement under its bias, a pick-up arm for said reproducing mechanism movable during reproduction of a record, a ratchet movable with said pick-up arm, a pawl pivoted onone of said levers and biased to ride over said ratchet during movement of said ratchet and to transmit reverse movement of said ratchet to said lever thereby to release the other of said pair of levers .for further movement under its bias, means to stop said mechanism in response to said further movement oi said other lever, and means responsive to extreme movement of said ratchet in one direction to actuate said one lever to release the other for said further movement under its bias.

5. The combination, in a record player, of a turn table, a motor to drive said table, a pickup arm having a pivot near said table and arranged to swing inward over said table during the playing of a record and to rotate said pivot, a pair of levers having pivots near said first mentioned pivot and extending therefrom to abut against each other in either of two positions, said levers being biased to abut against each other in said positions, each lever restraining the other against movement under its bias in either position and each lever being arranged when moved against its bias in its respective position to release the other for movement under its bias to the other position, and means responsive to extreme movement of the said pick-up arm in' either direction to actuate the corresponding lever against its bias, a switch for controlling saidmotor, and means to operate said switch in accordance with the reciprocations of one of said levers.

6. The combination, in a record player, of a turn table, a motor to drive said table, a pick-up arm having a pivot near said table and arranged to swing inward over said table during the playing of a record and to rotate said pivot, a. pair of levers having pivots near said first mentioned pivot and extending therefrom to abut against each other in either of two positions, said levers being biased to abut against each other in said positions, each lever restraining the other against movement under its bias in either position and each lever being arranged when moved against its bias from a respective one of said positions to release the other for movement under its bias to the other position, means responsive to extreme movement of the said pickup arm in either direction to actuate the corresponding lever against its bias thereby providing reciprocation of said levers between said positions, a switch for controlling said motor, means to operate said switch in accordance with-the reciprocations of one of said levers, and means responsive to reversal in the direction of movement of said pick-up arm during the playing of a record to actuate that one of said levers against said bias which opens said switch.

\ DONALD R. DE TAR. 

